


Can't Start a Fire Without a Spark

by thunderfcknroad



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: First Date, Ice Skating, aint no edges on this, completely self indulgent, perfectly spherical ball of fluff, set around christmas cause it was for secret santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-06 02:40:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17337143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thunderfcknroad/pseuds/thunderfcknroad
Summary: Molly takes Caleb to a winter carnival for their first date. Ice skating happens and Caleb's dex score of 12 is just not cutting it.





	Can't Start a Fire Without a Spark

**Author's Note:**

> this is a very sweet little short thing i wrote for a secret santa exchange  
> So here you go Ronan I made myself cry with this so I hope you enjoy it? xx

Mollymauk glanced nervously around him. He didn’t really understand why he was so nervous. It wasn’t the people around him, or the bright lights, or the colours, or the noise; these were all normal and comfortable for Molly. If anything he blended in like a shadow here.

So why did he feel like he was under constant scrutiny?

As his mind continued to race, he became aware of something soft and warm weaving around his ankles. He looked down to see the content face of Frumpkin looking up at him. His heart skipped slightly as he crouched down to scratch Frumpkin’s head.

“Hello darling. Where’s Caleb then?”

Frumpkin just meowed and pushed his head into Molly’s hand some more. Molly sighed and glanced around him.

It took him a moment but eventually he spotted a familiar figure off to the side leaning against a fairy light covered pole looking slightly uncomfortable. Molly could feel his heartrate double.

Oh Moonweaver help him he was gone on this man.

Molly gritted his teeth slightly and made his way over to Caleb. Caleb smiles slightly; it’s nervous but genuine. Molly’s own face splits into a grin.

“Did you really send your cat as reconnaissance on our first date?”

Caleb’s smile grew slightly and he looked down to hide it.

“The crowds are a lot here. I figured Frumpkin would find you quicker. Also he likes you.” With that, Caleb clicked his fingers and Frumpkin appeared on Molly’s head, between his horns. Molly laughed as he heard Frumpkin meow indignantly from above him. He untangled him from his hair and kissed his tiny head before handing him back to Caleb.

“I love him a lot too but I am not on a date with Frumpkin.”

Caleb clicked his fingers and Frumpkin vanished from his hands. “Right. Entschuldigung – uh – sorry. I’m a little nervous.”

Molly nodded wordlessly. He knew this was probably not Caleb’s ideal first date location. Caleb didn’t do well with people, loud noises or bright lights. This place had all of those things in excess. Molly mentally kicked his own shins for being so stupid. When Jester had suggested it, it had sounded so romantic.

“Uh, if this is too much for you we can go somewhere else. I know many a coffee shop. I realise this is all a lot and I am at your disposal whatever makes you most comfortable.”

Caleb glanced around. The lights reflected in his hair and Molly noticed his usual ratty scarf had been switched out for a new dark green one. He couldn’t help picturing how it would feel in his hands as he pulled Caleb in to kiss him.

Molly was jolted out of his fantasy by the very real feel of Caleb’s hand intertwining with his.

“I think I want to stay. I trust you.”

Molly couldn’t help the slightly nervous laugh that bubbled out.

Caleb’s hand felt so hot in his  and Molly had to subtly look down to check that it wasn’t actually on fire. It wasn’t, obviously.

Caleb’s mind seemed so far away, lost in the chaos of the fair, Molly was scared he might lose him completely.

“Ok what do you want to do first? Ice skating? Mulled wine? Cotton candy? I would offer to win a prize at a game but as someone who spent his entire life duping people in circus games, they’re pretty much unwinnable.”

Caleb chuckled quietly. “I don’t really know. I have never done this before. I’m not entirely sure how to be festive.”

Molly feigned swooning. “Never? Not ever?”

“It was not really a thing back home and, well, after home it certainly wasn’t.” Caleb shrugged and looked at his feet. Molly squeezed his hand.

“That’s ok. I’m honoured I get to – no I cannot finish that sentence without an innuendo I’m quitting while I’m ahead. Let’s hire some skates. Then when we are too cold and tired we can find a hot drink in the lodge. Plan?”

Caleb bit back a smile. “Plan.”

 

They weaved through the crowd, Molly carefully pulling Caleb along with him. Molly placed some cash on the counter for the both of them and pulled Caleb on towards the ice.

“Uh Mollymauk, just so you know, I am not very good at this.”

Molly laughed. “Oh don’t worry. You can just hold on to me.” His arm wrapped around Caleb’s waist to help him stand up on his skates. Molly had always been very tactile - and travelling together had not helped that - but given the circumstances Molly started to worry this might be too much. Caleb didn’t seem to flinch, though, which was certainly a good thing.

Caleb wobbled slightly on his skates and leaned a little more into Molly’s side. Attached at the hip, they tottered over to the ice. Molly glided on like a duck to water. Caleb took to it more like a cat to water; flailing and spluttering.

Molly held him steady by the hands and slowly he got some balance. Molly carefully pulled him round, Caleb keeping one hand on the railing and one hand firmly gripping Molly’s. Caleb looked genuinely frightened but he gritted his teeth and with a look of pure and utter determination, he carried on. Molly couldn’t help but find it charming. After a few rounds Caleb let go of Molly’s hand hesitantly.

“I’m good here for a minute. Go show me what you can do circus man.”

Molly grins and pushed off the side. He sped round a couple of times. The rink is barely full so he didn’t really need to worry about crashing into people. He did a couple of turns and made his way back over to Caleb. Caleb gave him a short bout of applause before his nerves got the better of him and he grabbed the side again.

“A lot of opportunity to ice skate while with the circus then?”

Molly shrugged. He placed himself facing Caleb and placed his hand over his on the barrier. “Not really but I’m a very quick and determined learner.”

“Ja that doesn’t surprise me – wait wait what are you doing, Molly halt!” Caleb’s voice rose in pitch as Molly slowly began to pull him away from the side of the rink holding both Caleb’s hands in his. Molly was still facing him and skating backwards.

“Caleb. I’ve got you. Use that perfect memory of yours and just do what I do. You’re going to be ok.”

Molly could see Caleb searching his face for a hint of mischief or joking. When he didn’t find it he gritted his teeth again and slowly pushed forwards. Molly let go of one of his hands so they were next to each other. He laid his tail against the small of Caleb’s back to stop him leaning to far backwards.

After a few slow circuits Caleb seemed to find his footing and Molly saw the little spark of pride and confidence that radiated so rarely from Caleb. All the panic and insecurity had been worth it for that look. It was breath-taking and Molly had to remind himself that there were other people on the ice and he needed to manoeuvre them because he could probably stare at Caleb all day when he looked like this.

After a few more circuits Caleb stopped looking so intently at his feet and Molly saw him start to take in the scene around him. All the anxiety about this being outside Caleb’s comfort zone faded when he saw a smile ghost over his lips. The lights danced around them as they skated and the laughter in the air only seemed to amplify as Caleb’s happiness seemed to grow. Molly thought he might drown in this feeling.

“You can let go of my hand if you feel confident enough”. The words felt sour in Molly’s mouth. Why did he say that? That is the _last_ thing he wanted.

Caleb smiled. Like properly smiled. Molly’s entire world lit up.

“I could do that, yes”

They continued to skate and Caleb did not let go of Molly’s hand.  If someone took the ice away from underneath him Molly was almost certain he would find himself floating.

 

After a few more circuits Caleb decided his toes were getting too cold to continue and they made their way off the ice.

“Lodge? I don’t think their mulled wine is as good as my homemade stuff but I have to keep some aces up my sleeve for follow up dates, right?”

Molly held his breath a little as he waited to see if Caleb would reject that idea but Caleb seemed far away and distracted by the lights again and just said “yeah that sounds nice.”

It wasn’t necessarily unenthusiastic, just distant, but Molly tended to translate that as the same thing, especially when he was this invested.  

He felt his heart sink a little. Reluctantly he separated his fingers from Caleb’s in attempt to put him back in his comfort zone.

“Come on we can see if we can get a booth near the fire.” Molly sauntered off, beckoning Caleb to follow. He didn’t look back to see Caleb’s betrayed face as he retracted his hand back into his jacket sleeve, confused by the loss of Molly’s body heat and presence to comfort him.

Molly found a booth and quickly lay across the bench in a bid to claim it as Caleb wandered in a couple of seconds behind him.

“Ok stay here I’ll get us something warm.”

As he ordered and waited by the bar he watched Caleb from the corner of his eye. He watched as Caleb slowly and methodically unwrapped his new green scarf from around his neck and gently folded it on the table. He watched as he shrugged off his coat and brushed some flakes of snow from it before laying it down next to him on the bench. He watched as Caleb leaned back against the booth and smiled and slowly glanced over at Molly at the bar.

Their eyes met. Molly looked away quickly. He glanced back quickly to check Caleb had done the same.

Caleb had not.

Caleb was just staring at him with a soft smile on his face. Molly felt like he was being read completely and utterly. He felt like one of Caleb’s books; one of the old ones. One of those books Caleb lays out on the table and caresses every page as if it were a new piece of treasure that only he could understand. One of those books that Caleb owns, not just borrows.

He can feel the heat rise to his face. This was so stupid what was going on why was Caleb so hard to read. Molly had made a career on reading people he barely knew yet with Caleb his brain just got fuzzy.

He took the wine from the bartender and walked back over to Caleb. He could feel his gaze on him the entire time but he didn’t make eye contact until he was sat down.

Caleb wrapped his hands around the warm cup and muttered a thank you. There was a moment of silence before Molly worked up the nerve to speak again.

“So when I offered a second date I’m not entirely sure if you were dismissing me or if you just didn’t hear me and honestly if its the prior then just tell me just rip it off like a band aid.” Molly found himself saying the whole sentence very quickly and straight down at his wine.

When Caleb didn’t immediately answer he looked up, finally.

Caleb was staring at him intently.

“Molly I –“ he furrowed his brow slightly. “I’m not very good at this, I realise that, but I never meant to give you mixed signals. I’m so sorry. I realise now I may have been somewhat distracted but –“ Now it was Caleb’s turn to look sheepishly into his wine. “I meant it when I said this was my first experience with Christmas. It was bright and loud and overwhelming and yet it never felt like too much. It was perfect and warm and full of joy and kindness and,” Caleb looked up again and placed one of his hands over Molly’s around his cup, “there was no one more perfect than you to experience it with. You are all those things to me Mollymauk. All those things and so much more.”

Molly was taken aback. His face softened and he moved his hand so it was intertwined with Caleb’s on the table.

“So that’s a yes to a second date then?”

Caleb laughed and nodded. Molly felt his heart swell to twice its size. Without breaking their hands apart Molly walked round to Caleb’s side of the booth and sat next to him.

“I know I’m kind of known for my words but I really don’t think I can top that little spiel so, if I may, I would like use a less word heavy technique?” Molly moved one of his hands up Caleb’s cheek and brushed the hair from his face slightly. When Caleb nodded Molly leant in. He left about a centimeter, allowing Caleb to close the gap. This whole night, everything, was on Caleb’s terms and Molly was ok with that. He couldn’t think of a safer pair of hands to be in.

Caleb did close the gap and Molly  thought he might melt. He knew Caleb had had some experience but he really knew what he was doing. Molly had to pull away fairly quickly before he got tempted to put his hands places they shouldn’t be in public.

“Oh wow. I am definitely requesting round two of that later.”

Caleb pecked him again. “I know we’ve been drinking wine but I could get drunk on the taste of your lips alone.”

Molly rolled his eyes and laughed. “What book did you pull that one from?”

Caleb chuckled slightly. “I’m not telling.”

**Author's Note:**

> find me at probably-pride-related on tumblr x
> 
> long live Mollymauk and long may he reign <3


End file.
